Jonathan Carter MacGowan

The Villages Florida: Jonathan Carter MacGowan left us on March 29,2026 after a full life of many adventures. Born in New Bedford MA on April 21 st , 1942, to Elmer Allison, Jr., and Grace Ellen (née Knowlton) MacGowan, he was raised and schooled in Fairhaven MA. Growing up in Fairhaven and being near the water and from a seafaring family, he spent much time on the water with family and friends fishing, sailing, racing, and cruising. He attended the neighborhood elementary school, Rogers School, and graduated from Fairhaven High School class of 1960. He further attended Wentworth Institute in Boston MA and graduated in 1964 with an associate degree in Architectural Engineering Technology. After leaving school he began working for the Vermont Marble Company in their Boston sales office as a sales engineer, Buildings Division. During that time, he enlisted in the Massachusetts Army National Guard in Brockton MA and when finally leaving Boston in 1968 had attained the rank of 2 nd Lieutenant. He next settled in Burlington Vermont working for Design and Building Associates, Inc. as a partner. He continued his obligation to the Army National Guard with the Vermont Army National Guard, retiring in 1972 as a 1 ST Lieutenant. In 1978 his partnership was dissolved, and he started his own design and building business, MACG Incorporated, which he ran for 35 years until his retirement.

In 1968 in Vermont, he met Margaret Ann Hightower. They were married in December and remained together for 13 years. In 1972 a son, Jonathan Todd, was born to them. In 1981 he met Linda Lou (née Cassady) Carter. After a very long and enjoyable courtship they were married in December of 1991 and remained together until Linda’s unfortunate death in 2020. In 2013, both Jonathan and Linda retired from their own respective businesses and relocated to a brand-new community in The Villages, Central Florida.

Besides a long interest and involvement in boating on Buzzard’s Bay and the Islands of MA, the coast of Maine, and Lake Champlain VT, where he continued boating, he was an avid tennis player, both in VT and FL., also hunting and other shooting sports. More recently he hung up his tennis racquet and had taken up riding a recumbent trike on Florida’s vast Rails to Trails network and had just passed his 10,000-mile mark.

In his retirement he continued to pursue his love for design and build, but albeit on a much lesser scale and volunteered his services. He was an avid member of The Villages Woodworkers Club and volunteered much of his time to the club.

He is survived by his son, Jonathan Todd of The Villages FL, a stepson and wife, Jon P. and Christina Carter of Wildwood FL, nieces and husbands, Alexandra K. (née Lovett) and Mark Olson of Rowley MA, Allison M. (née Lovett) and Doug Desautell of North Attleboro MA, two brothers, J. Edwin Jones, III and wife Susan of Richmond VA, Charles M. Jones of New Bedford MA, a sister Nina M. Jones of Fairhaven MA, sister-in-law Norma C. (née Cassady) Gilman of St. Albans VT, brother-in-law Michael Cassady and wife Bernice of Littleton NH, sister-in-law Colleen Cassady of Lancaster NH. He was predeceased by his father and mother, by his stepfather J. Edwin Jones, Jr., and his sister Pamela A. (née MacGowan) Lovett and brother-in-law Donald A. Lovett.

There will be no service or visiting hours. Final arrangements to be made at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers a memorial gift may be given to The Villages Woodworkers Club, Education Fund.

Countryside Funeral Home has been entrusted with the final arrangements.